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Massive council tax rise halted
A planned 34 per cent rise in Warwick council tax ([link removed]) has been postponed following suspension of local elections in England until 2021. This is welcome news and the least that Warwick taxpayers expect given the current circumstances.
As things stood the council planned to go ahead with an "above-threshold tax increase" despite a 14 month delay to the referendum on whether it should be implemented or not. We called on Warwick council to do the right thing and abandon this fundamentally undemocratic rise.
Our comments were picked up in the press and the government has stepped in ([link removed]) to stop this inflation-busting rise. The fight continues though as Warwick council will more than likely try to pass the rise next year but the TaxPayers' Alliance stands ready to challenge them at every turn.
Axe the Tax
More welcome news at it was announced that the BBC will delay the abolition of free licence fees for the over 75s ([link removed]) due to Coronavirus. Many pensioners will breathe a sigh of relief that they won’t now be hit by the terrible TV tax during these troubling times.
BBC executives have acknowledged that the licence fee is a huge burden on people who, given the ongoing situation, will need access to their televisions more than usual. It is a timely reminder that television is a lifeline for older people and it’s ultimately untenable that Brits are taxed simply for turning on their TV.
There's still time to submit a response to the government's consultation on decriminalising evasion of the TV licence fee.
Use our quick and easy tool to make your voice heard. ([link removed])
Grassroots news
Unfortunately due to the Coronavirus pandemic the upcoming business expos in Lancashire and Kent have been postponed until further notice. We hope to see you at the rearranged events in due course.
TaxPayers' Alliance in the news
Public sector exit payments
Regular readers will recall that the TaxPayers' Alliance has long campaigned for a cap on "golden handshakes" paid to outgoing council bosses. In a number of cases these payments have exceeded £100,000. For example the former chief executive of West Sussex County Council was handed £265,000 of taxpayers' money ([link removed]) as part of a leaving settlement.
The government has long promised to introduce a cap of £95,000 on exit payments ([link removed]) but to date it has not been implemented. Sir Christopher Chope MP has joined the fight and in a recent Commons discussion ([link removed]) urged the chief secretary to the Treasury, Stephen Barclay to act.
In his address to the House, Sir Christopher praised the TaxPayers' Alliance in bringing this matter to the public's attention. It was great to see that members from all sides of the House are supportive of the cap. Indeed, John Spellar MP argued that those who failed to perform their jobs satisfactorily should receive no payment whatsoever.
Do you think a cap of £95,000 on public sector exit payments is too generous? (mailto:
[email protected]?subject=Public%20sector%20exit%20payments)
Minimum unit alcohol pricing in Wales
A freedom of information request by the TaxPayers' Alliance has revealed the Welsh Government is paying a PR company £70,000 of taxpayers' money for an awareness campaign about the introduction of minimum alcohol pricing. Drinkers in Wales have recently been subjected to a minimum retail price of 50 pence ([link removed]) per unit of alcohol.
The money allocated to the campaign will be used to purchase, "materials and advertising targeting retailers, leaflets and information for service providers (and a range of other settings), including print and direct mail costs."
Commenting on the revelations for South Wales Evening News I told chief reporter Martin Shipton:
“The overpowered nanny state should not have so much cash that they can hire PR men to try to spread their message of control yet further... to hand them hundreds of thousands to promote their bossy message is especially rich."
Let me know your thoughts on minimum unit alcohol pricing. (mailto:
[email protected]?subject=Minimum%20unit%20alcohol%20pricing)
Blog of the week
Why a carbon tax would be bad for Britain
Our media campaign manager Sam Packer recently took part in a panel discussion hosted by the ZeroCarbon campaign. It was broadly agreed by the hosts and panelists (although not by Sam) that the UK needs some form of carbon tax in order to achieve the desired decline in carbon emissions.
However, as Sam argues in the TPA blog this week ([link removed]) the government would be unwise to introduce yet another tax as consumers will feel the negative effects. He writes, "a tax on producers is guaranteed to see a hike in the costs of car ownership, home ownership, development and essentially anything that requires energy".
Sam goes further and explains why free markets have been almost miraculous at reducing carbon emissions, "The magic of the market is that it adapts to what consumers want. As the public in the west has grown more wary of pollution, it has dropped drastically. The incredible tale of human development in the past two centuries is one in which consumer capitalism is the main character."
Consumer pressure in a free market will achieve far more than a new tax ever could.
War on waste
Ringing off the hook
Blackburn with Darwen council is splashing the cash on a new set of smartphones set to cost taxpayers £56,000 ([link removed]) . The council insists it's a necessary measure to allow councillors access to computer software and improve cyber-security.
However, the decision to splash out on more technology is not a smart move. Councillors are already entitled to a ‘digital package’ which includes a tablet device; it is secure and allows councillors access to emails and sensitive information.
Taxpayers should not be forking out money on items which are not essential to the day-to-day work of councillors. The council should call time on supplying smartphones and instead invest in services that local residents actually need.
Harry Fone
Grassroots Campaign Manager
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